Furnace charging apparatus



Aug. 7, 1956 Filed July 17, 1951 J if* l A! IV Url f Aug. 7, 1956 z. w. wHlTEHoUsE E1' AL 2,757,806

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS Filed July 17. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll- RNE Y Aug. 7, 1956 z. wwHlTEHoUsE ET AL 2,757,806

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS Filed July 17. .1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent FURNACE CHA'RGING APPARATUS Zebulon W. Whitehouse and Oscar M. Schulze, Canton, and Hans F. Fischer, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Republic Steel Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 17, '1951, Serial No. 237,111

12 Claims. (Cl. 214-29) In present types of furnace charging apparatus, e. g. Such as used in charging yopen Ihearth or electric furnaces with scrap or other material, it is common to employ a so-called peel which is generally a heavy arm 'of tapered cylindrical or like shape with an enlarged head member that is adapted to engage a lug on la `box -or container loaded with Amaterial to be charged into the furnace. The peel is usually supported on a vehicle or like means and is there arranged with a pivoted mounting to rock the head member up and down, all in such "a -way that the charge container can be readily picked yup and carried into the furnace to unload the container. The vehicle on which the peel is mounted is movable toward and `away from the door of the furnace and also sometimes may travel lon tracks running parallel to the front of the furnace in such fashion that several `furnaces which are located side by side may -be charged with the same apparatus.

An object of the present invention is yto provide vmore convenient and commodious chargehandling and unloading apparatus, which maybe adapted to use on currently employed and basically .advantageous types of charging machines, without changing the structure of the peel itself. In such machines the peel, which may llbe ldefined as of standard design in consisting of a long, essentially unitary arm and having a single 4head -member at the end, may be sturdily constructed by casting or forging operations or the like, and constitutes a very simple and rugged element of the equipment. Indeed as explained below, the present improvements obviate the need for an arrangement whereby the head member or part or all of the peel body is rotatable relative to the remainder of the peel or its mounting; in any case no less simple and sturdy peel is needed than is represented in the equipment now generally used. In other words this invention entails apparatus which may be mounted on the vehicle that carries the peel, or indeed on the peel assembly itself but externally to the peel, and which will eifect greatly y.improved results in charging a furnace.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the complication .and extra .machinery which has `been necessary heretofore in order to rotate the peel or 'its head member or portion about its axis, while at the same time the present, improved apparatus -aiords a far more eifective and satisfactory charging operation. The procedure of rotating the peel has been heretofore necessary because lof what has been the standard practice in use of charging equipment. The scrap, e. Sg. scrap "iron, steel or other material to be charged, yis loaded :in relatively small, box-like containers, which are then ybrought up to the 'front of the furnace, in succession, on cars. There the peel carries each charging box into the furnace where, by lthe` described rotation, the box is rotated yto discharge the contents. This procedure necessitated machinery for rotating the A:peel '.(or a part of it) about .its

longitudinal axis while it was supporting a heavy load, but such 4arrangements are :now reliminated .by the :presk'ent invention.

vresults from the use 'of fewer cars per charge,'-V ,v is less interference of one furnace :operation with-ad- The vincrease in size of container-'Salso Y 2,757,806 Patented Aug. 7, 1956 FPice portant object, namely that of @enabling use to beinade of a large-sized charging container, e. fg. having from four to six times the capacity of the present conventional box. The y.advantages .gained 'from using a much 'larger box or container are numerous. Among these advantages are the fact `that `fewer lcharging boxes lare necessary, i. e. to charge the :same load; hence fewer 'char'ging cars to carry the containers into place in 'front 7of the furnace are necessary. Morespace ,andl ,less conloor i and there ,Y

fusion or congestion on Athe open hearth ich joining furnaces. means that each can be more densely loaded Vwith "scrap (which usually -comprises metal `pieces or 'fragments -of widely varying `size and shape), so that 'there -is Aa larger-r` I Furthermore, much. -s'crap,

may -be charged without any preparation, ez g. in p a'cjevr` load per cubic foot of box.

of prepared or baled scrap; by-rea'son ofthe larger-cross section of the container, the scrap'can be loaded more easily in the stockhouse, and thetrimming operation -is simplified and in many cases eliminated. Since there ,isY better loading of the larger box, spillage from thefboxes is greatly reduced, and in turn, the `weight ofthe nia-1.* terial charged in the furnace --is more accurate. WithV I fewer cars needed to convey the same amount of scrap,

yless motive power is required for 'each dragv or train,

thereby expediting delivery of scrap, while maintenance is reduced by the less lfrequent use of the cars.

Additional objects are also achieved in relation to the primary object of providing improved, simple 'and 'ex- Y ceptionally eiicient means to eliminate the turning of the container in order to discharge-the contents.l Thus elimination of suchl turning brings several further advantages, among which Vis the fact` that there is no damage to the roof o-f the furnace as has frequently occurred by impact of the box when it turned over. In addition, there is no loss of charge containersdue to their slipping olf the peel into the furnacev'during the.

process of turning. The present apparatus also obviates the extra, severe strains on the peel and charging mechanism which stemmed from the opping or shifting of the box when the peel was turned. Finally, the avoidance of turning 0f the box permits the charge of scrap or other material to be piled higher in the furnace; thus a greater amount of scrap may be charged at one time, reducing the number of charges necessary for one heat of the furnace.

To these and other ends an advantageous embodiment of the invention is described below and shown in the drawings, by way of example to disclose the features and principles of improvement.

Referring tothe drawings:

Fig. I shows a plan view of a peel and the front of its support with a. pusher mechanism, and a container partially in section,y taken along the line 1--1 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the same apparatus as thatA shown in Fig. 1A with. the4 charge container in section, taken along, line 2 2 of Fig. l looking in the direct-ion of the arrows; l

Fig., 3. is a, view partly in cross section. showingl the pusher mechanism, taken along line. 3 3 of Fig;1 2 looking in the, direction oithearrowsg.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged,.cross. sectional view showing, one of, the, upper rollers for a pusher arm, taken alongv line. 4.--4 of Fig.. 2,1ooking in. the direction of. the. arrows;

Fig- 5 showsan explodedperspective viewofthechargfment of the invention which is illustrated in the figures f of the drawings.

Fig. l shows a charge container 11 in position in front of the door 12 of a furnace 13, e. g. an open hearth or other furnace (for producing steel) into which the load of scrap (not shown) carried in the container 11 is to be deposited. The charge container is a box-like, steel structure having an open forward end and a false, i. e. horizontally movable back 14 opposite the open end. This false back 14 (see also Figs. 2 and S) has two guiding support members 15 extending forwardly, and carries, on its rear face, two lugs 16 which are adapted to be engaged by the head members 17 of the pusher mechanism, generally indicated by reference numeral 18. The charge box or container 11 is made of comparatively thin side walls 22 and a somewhat heavier bottom 22 supported by a rugged framework 19; while the box may have any desired dimensions, a special advantage of the invention, as explained above, resides in making it much larger than the boxes now customarily used. The charge box 11 is carried into position in front of the furnace on a car 20 partially shown in Fig. 2. As may be seen the car 20 travels sideways in front of the furnace on rails, only one of which is illustrated at 21, the arrangement of the track and cars for bringing up successive charging boxes being generally or functionally the same as with conventional charging equipment.

There is attached to the charge container proper, by means of being welded into an integral part of the same, a lug 23 for removable engagement by a peel head as described below, Specifically, the lug 23 is embodied with, and supported by, certain non-movable back structure of the box 11, which includes cross bars 23 at the top and which is appropriately open at each side of the lug 23 for rearward projection of and full access to the lugs 16 of the false back 14. The interrelation of the f false back, its lugs, and the lug 23 of the charge container itself will be more fully explained below in connection with Fig. 5.

The pusher mechanism 18 is mounted on a body or frame member 24 which is pivotally attached to a charging vehicle framework 25 by means of a horizontal shaft 26. The member 24 actually constitutes a part of the peel assembly of the charging machine, which also includes a forwardly extending peel arm 27 having a rugged unitary construction of generally standard character as explained above. The member 24 and forward arm portion 27 thus constitute an elongated, essentially cylindrical, arm-like peel assembly; while the part 27 is illustrated as a separable element seated in the hollow end of the body member 24, it will be understood that if desired, this assembly may be conveniently fabricated as, or made into one piece. By virtue of the described arrangement, not only the entire peel assembly of the parts 24 and 27 but also the pusher mechanism 18 carried on the part 27, may all be rocked up and down together about the transverse pivot 26, as viewed in Fig. 2. The peel 27 has a head member 28 which is of generally rectangular contour and which removably engages the lug 23 of the charging container 11, as is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5.

The pusher mechanism 18 comprises two pusher arms 29 which have head members 17 attached to their respective ends as previously indicated, and which are disposed externally of the peel, in a parallel relation to it at respectively opposite sides. These pusher arms are constructed in a suitably rugged manner, for example with an I beam type of cross section as illustrated in Fig. 4. Each pusher arm 29 carries a rack 30 attached to the top thereof in order that the pusher arms may be extended relative to the peel, as by means of a reversible motor 31 and its associated gearing. Specifically, pinions 32 engage the racks 30 and are driven through reduction gears 33 and a belt, chain or other drive generally indicated by reference numeral 34, from the motor 3l. In other words the motor 31 drives the reduction gears 33 by means of a conventional belt chain or other arrangement which is schematically shown as a covered pear-shaped section 34.

The motor 31 and its associated drive are supported in a framework 35 which is integrally attached to the peel body member 24, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. This framework 35 also carries means of support for the pusher arms 29, such means comprising a pair of rollers 36 at the top of each pusher arm 29, and a single roller 37 underneath each pusher arm. The upper rollers 36 are constructed with an H-shaped cross section, as may be seen in Fig. 4, in order to accommodate the rack 30 within the space formed by the lower arms of the Hshaped configuration. The lower rollers 37, however. are conveniently solid or full-surfaced cylindrical wheels to provide maximum support for the pusher arms 29. ln operation when it is desired to extend (or withdraw) the pusher arms 29, the motor 31 is operated which causes the pinions 32 to be driven and hence advances (or retracts) the arms 29 by means of the racks 30.

Fig. 6 illustrates the charging vehicle which supports the peel assembly comprising the forward peel arm 27 (not shown in Fig. 6) and the body member 24 with the pusher mechanism 18 (Figs. l and 2). In the illustrated apparatus of Fig. 6, which may be of conventional design but is here shown for completeness of disclosure of the manner in which the novel combination functions, a large supporting framework is arranged to operate or be moved on transverse track rails, one of which is illustrated at 38. The other track rail (omitted for brevity and clarity in the drawings) is conventionally located near the front of the large framework, more or less under the peel arm 27 when it is in the position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. This large framework, which is likewise only fragmentarily shown for the sake of clarity, is supported on the rails by corresponding wheels, of which again, only one is illustrated, e. g. at 48. These tracks run across in front of the furnace 13 (Fig. l) so that the charging vehicle 25 may be moved from one furnace to one or more others in order that more than one furnace may be charged by this same machine. The described framework of the charging apparatus, which includes the supporting structure (or vehicle) 25 for the bearings of the peel pivot shaft 26 and thus for the peel assembly, also includes means providing for movement ol' such structure or vehicle toward and away from each furnace, e. g. on suitable tracks which are carried by or with the framework. Single rails of each of two such tracks are fragmentarily illustrated at 39 and 39', thc vehicle 25 itself being supported on these rails by wheels -such as indicated by reference numerals 40 and 4t2'.

There are also horizontal guide wheels such as shown at 41 to maintain the vehicle stable within its framework.

The vehicle framework 25 supports the peel and pusher mechanism as previously indicated, by means of the shaft 26. In order to rock the peel and pusher mechanism about this shaft, i. e. to elevate and depress the peel and pusher heads 28, 17, the body member 24 extends back and is attached to a crank 42 by means of a connecting link 43. When the crank is rotated, the body member 24 and necessarily also the forward peel arm and pusher mechanism, will be rocked up and down as illustrated by the dotted line positions 24a and 43a of the member 24 and the link 43. 'Ihe crank 42 is mounted on and driven by a shaft 44 which in turn is driven by a gear 45. The motive power to drive the gear 45 is transmitted through reduction gears 47 from a suitable reversible motor, which may be considered, in Fig. 6, to be 75,' concealed behind certain bearing-supporting structure 49.

The exploded View as shown in Fig. 5 illustrates more vclearly lhow the ycharging box 1f1 s `:constructed and .operated. As` seen, 4the false vback 1f4-is -a separate `part dfrom the container vitself and carries `the lugs 316 which are adapted to be-engaged 'bby-the yhead members 117 of I:the-pusher-arms Z9. ffForholding alheavyload of scrap, fheopen-ended box 4or container itself is solidly -con sstructed Withilthe ilug l23 1adapted'to be engaged f-by the iheadfmember Iof .the peel. dAs `shown,ithelulg 1has afdownwardly-open, upwardly-closed,iboxilike configura- 4tion --into ywhich'the peel head 128 removably -but ncnn.rotatably lts, the rear yorfouter :side Lof thelug having la wide notchto-accommodateltheshankof thepeel. Tihe lugs 1.6 convenientlyhave asimilar configuration Atourev4cive Athe :pusher heads L17, sothatiupon engagementof the Klatter =the .pushers hold 4xthe 1 false iback Kaganst appreciable horizontal displacement of the back relative lto zthe pushers) land-canl-bothradvance :and retract it horirzontally inthebox.

'lJIt will lnowfbetcleanthatrwhen'thehead member 28 v1of-the :peel -is brought .up into engaging relation -wit-h lug 123, the lhea'd members wvill Vsimultaneously enga-ge -lu gs 516; :that Lis, the pushers :27 .areinitially@positioned with ftheirheads f1'7 and -the peel-'l-head "128 in horizontal .ali-gm "ment so vthat Vupon swingingathe peel assembly `upward (-from a 'lloWer and more 4forward position than Aactually lshown in iFig. 52') vthe three head members .are carried :vertically Ainto f effective 'engagement with the correspondling lugs, the Ibox 11 having-been Aloaded -with .the y'false iback 114 :in lrearmost position, e. fg. V.resting against the `fixed Gback structure 23. Thereupon the container 111 sma-ybe lifted ffrom its car (Fig. 2) /andcarried-into .adesired location Within rthe furnace. Ihenthepusher -fmeoha-nismflS is/voperated and the-pusher arms =29ex :ten'de'gi aso that vfalse back 14 -is .slid vrforward across v.the lbottomrof the box 11.1 ito dischargevthe contents. :Folilowing1.thisoperationfthe arms 29 are retracted, -returning the false back ftoiitsoriginalrpositiom andfby'renversel :operation of-vthe V.peel rthe box dal is withdrawn 'from z theffurnace andre-seated on the car. ..It.will nbe-noted thatfthe guidesupportmembers yl''for the Lfalse-back 1.4 .advantageously consist of .simple triangular. shaped plates -wliichare -so attachedato-the vforwardside ofthe false 'back '14 gthat. it will `be :supported Vand -may stand Vin la vertical lposition .without other support.

'Tp review fthetoperation of theapparatus a charging fsequence .will be followed .ina generaLway. The charge :box 'f1f1,fhav1'ng :been :'lled with -scrap or other material l"to'sbe ,charged `into :the ffurnace, 1is. carried ;in :frontvof the .ifurnacedoor 'l2-by meansofa-carz20 whichztravelsfalong @therails 211. `.When^'the box -is 4imposition in :front of thefurnace door 12,-the charging .vehicle-iscorrespond- .inglyfpositionedinfront of .the:fur-nace door ,son thatfthe peel27 fisinllinewith the lug '23.onsthe box. '.Thenithe .-.vehicle isbrought towardlthefurnace while'thepeel 27 4is rocked downvenoughto clear thefflangesof the lug zAslexplained above, after-the -peely head v`28 zhas lbeen elevated into engagement with flu'g .23, the peel `1527 -is y.further raised to :lift the charging box 11:1 vorf car Zilin preparation :for carrying `the charge container into the furnace. It `has `also been `explained that Aat thesame :time -asitheheadengagesvthe' lugf23, the=head members 17,`:being positioned on aline with the -head member 28, simultaneously engage the .lugs E16 yOurthe-false'fback i154.

fNow the chargingvehicle is moved forward'inorder ltolcarryfthe-charge box 1:1.into the-furnace to a desired position, and,thepushermechanism 18 is operated -so as yto-cause pusher-arms 29to move'forward and carry :false backsl'l across the-bottom of the boxpushing the matel'rial tobecharged yout of'thebox -into-the=furnace. Then y*the pusher arms are withdrawnandthe vehicleV is-backed faivay fromthe furnace to 'returntlhe box 11 t o its jposition in front of the furnace where it may be replaced oncar"20 and =disengagedifrom=-the[peel and-pusherearms. Thereafter-the operation maya-be: repeatedwith a-second car and so on until the charge of the furnacefhas-been completed.

*It will berseenffthatithe invention, lespecially as exemplified inf-the described apparatus,` fulfills the various -ob i jects set =forth -above and aifordsjpartieularly convenient -meansfforcharging furnaces with scraporfthe'like The entire charging operationiis greatlytexpedited in-fthe -ways explained, with lgreateconomy of -time, equipment and other expense. vrlhevdeposit--o'floads in lthelfurnace is .more accurately achieved;"indeexlfif=itY is desired -to disvtribute the contents of the fcharg'ingfbox i121 y(instead of .-pushingithe --load lolf into asinglep`ile or heap) fthe -operator -need merely movethe-'vehicle (and peel) rearwardly and thus cause the :box'torecedeywhile at thesame time y,the pushers are -driven iforwardly (relative -tothepeel) 4'to empty the box. .Allfofw-the-stated advantages areachieved with a lmechanism `that l is y.extremely simple and rugged, involvingno special attachments -or internal Tmovmgparts in -the peel 27 oritshead V 28, and-utilizinga'chargebox .ll which, with itsessentially .unitary'false--back 1,4, has Jno :complex :mechanical elements to become -deranged by the heavy use to which Iequipment of this --sort'must'be put. 1Finally, the Voperations of yenga-ging the-peel and ipusher-. means with the box and y its false back, andv of dis- .engaginglthese elements, are fully simplified, -being tes sen- .-.tiallywno more than .arey involved in-corresponding opervations with-the prior,conventional'types ofy small charging boxes.

A specific example of thisfinventioni-hasfbeen described iny detail, ybut Ait fis-fnot to beztakenas inuany -Iway--limiting l:the invention, which 4maylbe embodied in lotherfforrris without departure fromits-spirit- We claim: i1. .Infurnacez charging-apparatusgthe combinationy com- .prising charging n vehicle means 'lhaving a lpeel -pivotally attached thereto, :said-peel having a-single-head member and being adapted to rockl up ,and ldown as-said-pee1is -rotated about its pivotp charge container meansfhaving' a lug, adapted to 1; be `engaged -by' said -headmemben for supporting, `said chargeV container means solely -on-said1head -fmemben Asaid lcharge. containermeans having false t back vmeans :for discharging said container means, vr'said false back means having rearwardly accessible lug means,jand \pusherimeans:locatedffexternally of. said peel -andengageuable.` with. said. lug meansi for movingsaidlfalse'y back means to discharge said,container-means, said peel and pusher l.meanssbeing mounted yto the movedv together, saidcontainer ilug and said lug meansand-said lpeel headmember anjdsaid pusher :means being constructed'and arranged for simulztaneous; operative engagement of Ysaid; headmember-and ypusher means respectively-With the lugand lug means uponsi'multaneous displacement ofsaid peel:.an'd pusher .means into said' relation of engagement.

2. .In:furnacechargingapparatus the Ycombination com- .prisingcharging #vehicle means having a 'peel I-pivotally attached thereto andbeingmovable horizontallytoward fand away lfrom -said l-furnace, said peel v'consisting ,of a single unitary arm yhaving a head Vmember and' Abeing adapted to-rock upandl down assaidfpeelisrotated about .its pivot, V charge container means jhaving l back structure carrying `central lug means-adaptedto-'be engaged by saidhead.memberlforv-supporting-the container means on -thepeeL saidkcontainermeans having false back means: for discharging said container means, pusher means Alocated externally of said peel and comprising a plurality .of pusher members adapted to engage said false back r.means `and discharge said container means, said peel and 4pusher --means being mounted to` `be 4 moved together, saidA central :lug .means and said-false back means and saidpeelj head lmember and said pushermeansgbeing constructed vand arrangedfor simultaneous operative engagement vofsaid :head-membrand-pvsher .means respectirely with the Alag means and false back means upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement.

3. In furnace charging apparatus the combination comprising charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally attached thereto and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel consisting of an arm having a single head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, charge container means having lug means adapted to be engaged by said head member for supporting the container means on the peel, said containermeans having false back means having two lugs thereon, pusher means located externally of said peel and comprising two pusher members having enlarged end pieces and adapted to engage said false back lugs and slide said false back across said container means to discharge the same, said peel and pusher means being mounted to be moved together, said lug means and said two lugs and said peel head member and said pusher means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous f operative engagement of said head member and pusher means respectively with the lug means and two lugs upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement.

4. In furnace charging apparatus the combination comprising charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally attached thereto and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel having a head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, charge container means having lug means adapted to be removably engaged by said head member and false back means having two lugs thereon and support members to maintain said false back means in a vertical position, pusher means located externally of said peel and comprising two pusher members having enlarged end pieces and adapted to engage said false back lugs and slide said false back across said container and return, said peel and pusher means being mounted to be moved together, said lug means and said two lugs and said peel head member and said pusher means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said head member and pusher means respectively with the lug means and two lugs upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement.

5 In furnace charging apparatus the combination with charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally mounted thereon and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel having a head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, of pusher means located externally of said peel and comprising a pair of arms having enlarged end pieces, said arms being movable relative to but remaining parallel with said peel, charge container means comprising false back means having a pair of lugs thereon, said charge container means having lug means adapted to be removably engaged by said head member, said pair of lugs being adapted to be removably engaged by said enlarged end pieces, all whereby said charge container may be positioned in a desired location within said furnace and said container means may be discharged, said peel and pusher means being mounted to be moved together, said lug means and said pair of lugs and said peel head member and said pusher means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said head member and pusher means respectively with the lug means and pair of lugs upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement,

6. In furnace charging apparatus the combination with charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally mounted thereon and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel having a head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, of pusher means mounted integrally with but located externally of said peel and comprising a pair of arms having enlarged end pieces, said arms being movable relative to but remaining parallel with said peel, and charge container means comprising false back means having a pair of lugs adapted to be engaged by said enlarged end pieces and having brace means for holding said false back means upright, said charge container means having lug means for receiving said head member so that said charge container means may be carried by said peel, said peel and pusher means being mounted to be moved together, said lug means and said pair of lugs and said peel head member and said pusher means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said head member and pusher means respectively with i the lug means and pair of lugs upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement.

7. In furnace charging apparatus the combination with charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally mounted thereon and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel having a head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, of a pair of pusher arms having enlarged end pieces, said pair of arms being mounted integrally with but externally of said peel, a charge container having a lug thereon adapted to be engaged by said head member and having a false back with a pair of lugs and a pair of braces on said false back, said pair of lugs being adapted to be engaged by said enlarged end pieces, whereby said pusher arms will operate to discharge said charge container by means of said false back when said pusher arms are extended relative to said peel, said container lug and said pair of lugs and said peel head member and said pusher arms being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said head member and pusher arms respectively with the container lug and pair of lugs upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher arms into said relation of engagement.

8. In furnace charging apparatus, the combination comprising a peel consisting of a single arm structure having a single head for removable engagement with a charging container to support the container, means for moving the peel toward and away from the interior of a furnace, suppiemental peel-displacing means to elevate and depress the head of the peel, a charging container having its forward side open and having a false back displaceable between rear and forward positions in the container, lug means on the container to be removably engaged by the head of the peel, pusher means mounted'to be moved with the peel and having head means adapted for removable engagement with the false back in the charging container, said pusher means being disposed externally of said peel and said false back having lug means disposed externally of the rst-mentioned lug means for removably receiv ing the pusher head means to hold said false back against horizontal movement relative to the pusher means, and means for moving said pusher means relative to the peel to displace the false back substantially horizontally in the container for discharging said container, said container lug means and said false back lug means and said peel single head and said pusher head means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said peel single head and pusher head means respectively with the container lug means and false back lug means upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher means into said relation of engagement.

9. In furnace charging apparatus, the combination comprising a peel having a head for removable engagement with a charging container to support the container, means for moving the peel toward and away from the interior of a furnace, supplemental peel-displacing means to elevate and depress the head of the peel, a charging container having its forward side open and having a false back displaceable between rear and forward positions in the container, lug means on the container to be removably engaged by the head of the peel, pusher means carried on the peel for movement therewith and having head means adapted for removable engagement with the false back in the charging container, said pusher means being disposed externally of said peel and said false back having lug means disposed externally of the first-mentioned lug means for removably receiving the pusher head means to hold said false back against horizontal movement relative to the pusher means, and means for moving said pusher means relative to the peel to displace the false back substantially horizontally in the container for discharging said container, said first and second lug means and said peel head and pusher head means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous engagement of said head and head means respectively with said lug means upon simultaneous, substantially vertical displacement of said peel and pusher means in a predetermined direction relative to the charging container.

l0. In a furnace charging apparatus, the combination comprising a peel having a head for removable engagement with a charging container to support the container, means for moving the peel toward and away from the interior of a furnace, means for rocking the peel about a horizontal axis to elevate and depress its head, pusher arm means carried by the peel externally thereof and adapted to be moved therewith by said moving and rocking means, a charging container having its forward side open and having a false back displaceable between rear and forward positions in the container, said container having lug means for removably receiving the peel head, and said false back having lug means and said pusher arm means having head means, arranged for mutual, removable engagement between said head means and with said second-mentioned lug means, said container lug means and said false back lug means and said peel head and said pusher arm head means being constructed and arranged for simultaneous operative engagement of said peel head and pusher head means respectively with the container lug means and false back lug means upon simultaneous displacement of said peel and pusher arm means into said relation of engagement, so that upon movement of saidrpeel to displace its head into engagement with the rst-mentioned lug means the head means of the pusher means is simultaneously engageable with the second lug means, and means for moving said pusher arm means relative to the peel for advancing the false back from rear to forward position in the container, to push material out of the container into the furnace.

ll. In furnace charging apparatus, the combination comprising a peel consisting of an arm having a single head for removable engagement with a charging container to support the container, means for moving the peel toward and away from the interior of a furnace, supplemental peel-displacing means to elevate and depress the head of the peel, a charging container having its forward side open and having a false back displaceable between rear and forward positions in the container, lug means on the container to be removably engaged by the 10 head of the peel, said container including structure mounting said lug means centrally at the rear of the container, a pair of pusher arms, means carried on the peel for mounting said arms externally of the peel arm |at opposite sides of the peel, said pusher arms being movable with the peel and being longitudinally displaceable in said last-mentioned mounting means, each of said pusher arms having a head adapted for engagement with the false back in the charging container, said false back having a pair of lugs disposed to be accessible through the rear of the container at opposite sides of the first-mentioned lug means, for removably receiving the respective heads of the pusher arms to hold said false back yagainst appreciable horizontal movement relative to the pusher arms, and means for simultaneously moving said pusher arms longitudinally relative to the peel to displace the' false back substantially horizontally in the container for discharging said container, said lug means and lugs and said peel and pusher heads being constructed and arranged for simultaneous engagement of said heads respectively with said lug means and lugs upon simultaneous upward displacement of said peel and pusher arms from a locality below the rear of the charging container.

l2. In furnace charging apparatus the combination with charging vehicle means having a peel pivotally mounted thereon and being movable horizontally toward and away from said furnace, said peel having a head member and being rockable up and down as said peel is rotated about its pivot, of pusher means mounted integrally with but located externally of said peel and comprising a pair of arms having enlarged end pieces, said arms being movable relative to but remaining parallel with said peel, and charge container means comprising false back means having a pair of socket like lugs for receiving said enlarged end pieces, overlapping edges on three sides of said lugs for holding said enlarged end pieces securely after engagement of the enlarged end pieces with the lugs, brace means on said false back .means for holding the false back means upright, a third socket like lug centrally located on said charge container means, overlapping edges on three sides of said third lug for holding said peel head member securely after engagement therewith, said three socket like lugs being located to correspond with the peel head member and the enlarged end pieces so that all may be simultaneously engaged and the false back means may be moved horizontally to discharge said charge container means while being carried by said peel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,348 Buchanan Sept. 19, 1893 716,750 Patterson Dec. 23, 1902 2,405,342 Brosius Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 431,250 France Sept. 6, 1911 

